Earle Mack Honored with KTOB’s William T. Young Humanitarian Award

Owner, breeder, humanitarian, and philanthropist Earle Mack was bestowed with the William T. Young Humanitarian Award by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders (KTOB) Wednesday morning. The former U.S. Ambassador, who has been breeding and racing Thoroughbreds for nearly six decades and has had 25 black-type winners, including Canadian Triple Crown winner Peteski (Affirmed) and U.S. MGISW November Snow (Storm Cat), is well known for his humanitarian work, both in the industry and in the greater world. A long-time supporter of numerous equine charities and a strong proponent of Thoroughbred aftercare, Mack also founded the Man O' War Project, which studies and uses equine-assisted therapy for veterans suffering from PTSD. Last month, he led a delegation to help Ukranian refugees on the border with Hungary.

The William T. Young Humanitarian Award was established by the KTOB in 2003 and honors a person who positively affects people in the Thoroughbred industry, as well as throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It is voted on by the KTOB's Board of Directors and recognizes someone associated with the racing industry who “promotes the human endeavor,” according to KTOB's website.

In his acceptance speech, Mack commented on the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA), called for an industry change from dirt to cushion surfaces, and stressed the need to protect racehorses.

“I would like to comment on the state of our industry and our continued mission to address the health, safety, and welfare of our beloved Thoroughbreds,” said Mack. “Everyone in this room prizes and loves the Thoroughbreds for their hearts, their athleticism, and their beautiful extensions, which touch our very souls. Let's protect them for all they give to us and all they mean to us. Recently we've made enormous strides towards ensuring the integrity of our industry through the passage of HISA. It took almost 10 years–from conception to passage–which, as you all know, was a major undertaking. But even with the safeguard of HISA, there is more work to be done to satisfy public opinion, our industry, and ourselves that we are doing everything possible to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of our equine athletes.

“It's no secret that organizations like PETA and other animal welfare groups would like nothing better than to shut down horseracing as a sport and they've come damn close in California! These groups are fueled by injuries, breakdowns, and mortalities at our racetracks. Knowing this, we need to do everything we can to have the safest racing surfaces in the world. I would like to put forth the bold and necessary challenge to our industry to transition our dirt surfaces to cushion surfaces within the next 7-10 years. We have the technology and the brightest minds in the business to accomplish this.

“Such a measure would cut racetrack injuries in half and could very well ensure our future and our long-term sustainability.”

Mack is an Army veteran who, in addition to his racing and military achievements, has a long list of accomplishments in business, government, and the arts. He has long advocated for the safety and wellness of Thoroughbreds. In February, Mack was awarded the Eclipse Award of Merit in recognition for a lifetime of outstanding achievement.

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Earle Mack To Receive Eclipse Award Of Merit For Lifetime Achievement

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers And Broadcasters (NTWAB) announced today that the honorable Earle I. Mack, who has burnished a remarkable career serving his country and the Thoroughbred industry through racing, breeding and philanthropic causes, has been selected to receive the Eclipse Award of Merit in recognition of a lifetime of outstanding achievement.

Mack, 83, will receive the Award of Merit at the 51st annual Eclipse Awards ceremony, honoring racing's champions of 2021 on Thursday, Feb. 10 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. Winners in 17 horse and human categories will be announced at Santa Anita and live on TVG, and other outlets, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The evening will culminate with the announcement of the 2021 Horse of the Year.

Eclipse Awards tickets and information on the awards show, dinner and party is available at the NTRA website https://www.ntra.com/eclipse-awards/.

Ambassador Mack, from Florida, has enjoyed a career of varied accomplishments in business, government, the military, the arts, and Thoroughbred racing. He served as the United States Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Finland in 2004 and 2005 under President George W. Bush.

Ambassador Mack served in the U.S. Army Infantry as a Second Lieutenant while on active duty, and as a First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Infantry and Military Police.

Ambassador Mack has been breeding and racing Thoroughbreds since 1963, and has bred or raced 25 stakes winners, including 1993 Canadian Triple Crown winner Peteski, 2002 Brazilian Triple Crown winner Roxinho, November Snow and Mr. Light. He has also served the industry through his participation on numerous endeavors. He was a member of the Board of Trustees for the New York Racing Association (1990–2004), Chairman of the New York State Racing Commission (1983–1989), Member of the New York State Thoroughbred Racing Capital Investment Fund (1987–1996) and a Member, Board of Directors, of the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund Corp. (1983–1989). He served as Senior Advisor on Racing and Breeding in New York State for the Thoroughbred Industry to Governors Mario M. Cuomo and George E. Pataki. The Earle I. Mack Thoroughbred Champion Award has been presented annually since 2011 to an individual for outstanding efforts and influence on Thoroughbred racehorse welfare, safety, and retirement.

“This is a distinct honor. Since college I have devoted my life to the equine industry. I love the horse. I love our veterans who have fought hard for the survival of our freedoms and the democracy we embrace as Americans. I am grateful for and would like to give special thanks to the NTRA and the Eclipse selection committee for this special recognition,” said Mack. “I am also immensely grateful to those in the industry who have supported my vision for the Man O' War Project, most especially The Jockey Club.

“The health, safety and welfare of our horses and the integrity of our sport have been at the center of my advocacy over the years. I'm very heartened by the new HISA legislation which will most certainly inure to the greater good of our industry.”

Ambassador Mack has been a long-time supporter of numerous equine charities, including the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and the Grayson Jockey Club Research Foundation, and has inspired others to do good works through his establishment of the Ogden “Dinny” Phipps Award, given annually to someone who has performed meritorious service to racing.

Mack's most recent cause, as founder of The Man O' War Project, has allowed him to combine his interest and passion for military veterans and retired racehorses. The focus of the project is to search and discover effective treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in wartime veterans. The Man O' War Project team is comprised of researchers from the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute (Columbia University Irving Medical Center) with expertise in PTSD, assessment, development and testing of psychotherapeutic treatments, namely Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT), which is a widely used alternative treatment for many people struggling with mental health and life problems, including veterans.

The initial goal of the Man O' War Project (MOW) was to examine the effectiveness of EAT for military veterans and military personnel with PTSD. Ambassador Mack approached his friend, David Shaffer, MD, and soon a team was formed at Columbia led by Dr. Prudence Fisher and Dr. Yuval Neria. The project was the first-ever university-led research study to examine the effectiveness of equine-assisted therapy in treating veterans with PTSD. The promising clinical and MRI results have been published in three highly regarded medical journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. Building on the success of the study, the Man O' War Center at Columbia University is under development with the mission to train others in the EAT field in the Man O' War protocol, expand access to the therapy for veterans, and adapt the protocol for children and adolescents.

“Ambassador Mack's contributions to the Thoroughbred industry go well beyond his successful breeding and racing operations,” said James L. Gagliano, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Jockey Club. “His support of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, creation of the Dinny Phipps Award, and contributions to the Man O' War Project exemplify what the Eclipse Award of Merit represents, and he is well-deserving of it. We are honored to have him as a member of The Jockey Club.”

Among his many other endeavors, Ambassador Mack served on the board of directors of the New York City Ballet. He is also a former co-chairman of the board of the Dance Theater of Harlem and a former member of the New York Governor's Committee on Scholastic Achievement. He was chairman and CEO of the New York State Council of the Arts in New York from 1996 to 1999, being named Chairman Emeritus upon his retirement.

Ambassador Mack and his wife Carol have two children, Andrew and Schuyler.

The Eclipse Awards are sponsored by Roberts Communications, Four Roses Bourbon, Daily Racing Form, Breeders' Cup, FanDuel Group, The Stronach Group and 1/ST Racing, Santa Anita Park, TVG, Dean Dorton, Stonestreet Farm, Keeneland, Racetrack Television Network, Jackson Family Wines, Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, Hallway Feeds and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.

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Timeline for HISA Implementation Comes Into Clearer Focus

With the July 1, 2022, implementation date looming for the nationwide regulatory Authority mandated by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) to go into effect, Charles Scheeler, the chairman of the Authority's board of directors, on Sunday outlined the timetable for the sport's new ruling body to be fully operational.

Speaking via pre-recorded video during Sunday's 69th Annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing that was hosted virtually by The Jockey Club (TJC), Scheeler said the Authority is currently developing its anti-doping and safety programs side by side, and that by the fall those initiatives will be shared publicly in an effort to generate feedback.

“All of this will be before we submit these proposed rules to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which is what is required by the Act,” Scheeler said. “And then [the FTC] will make them public; publish them in the Federal Register for a 60-day period of notice and comment. So the industry will get a second bite at the apple–another chance to comment on these rules.

“After the 60 days, the FTC will decide whether to approve all or some of these rules. We hope that they approve all of the rules that we submit to them. And then they have to be posted and finalized for a four-month period of time. So no later than March 1, 2022, for these rules to become operative on [July 1, 2022],” Scheeler said.

“We will also, in the late fall and winter, be sharing with state racing commissions our estimates of the costs for the coming year. That is required by the Act to occur no later than April 1. But it is our goal to get those numbers to the states months and months in advance of the event,” Scheeler said.

“And then, July 1, we will go live together with a new system to enforce the anti-doping and medication laws, and to make the tracks safer, and to make the sport fair for everyone,” Scheeler said.

But that timetable for implementation could face legal pushback in the form of lawsuits initiated by the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (National HBPA) and several state racing commissions.

Speaking in a separate section of the Round Table video presentation, TJC's chairman, Stuart Janney III, said such obstructionist tactics won't prevail in the long run.

“They defend the status quo with lawsuits that are effectively protecting a few bad trainers, veterinarians, and horsemen at the expense of those who are honest,” Janney said. “They offer nothing in the alternative other than worn-out notions of state-by-state compacts in defense of the same broken system.”

Janney also reiterated a prediction he made during last August's Round Table video presentation that more federal arrests of alleged horse dopers are in the pipeline.

Six of 28 defendants arrested in March 2020 have already pleaded guilty to felony charges in the federal government's prosecution of an alleged “corrupt scheme” to manufacture, mislabel, rebrand, distribute, and administer performance-enhancing drugs to racehorses all across America and in international races.

Elsewhere in the two-hour Round Table presentation, two Columbia University researchers–Dr. Yuval Neria, a professor of medical psychology, and Dr. Prudence Fisher, an associate professor of clinical psychiatric social work–gave an update on the Man O' War Project, which uses Thoroughbreds in equine-assisted therapy (EAT) to treat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“We plan on capitalizing on our work so far by creating the Man O' War Center at Columbia University,” Fisher said. “And its mission will be to advance the promising field of EAT. The center will coordinate and carry out many initiatives that further our work.”

Neria said another goal is to provide EAT training to others in the field.

“Over the last two to three years, we have been approached by many programs who are eager to learn from us and implement our protocols,” Neria said. “[And] we plan to adapt our protocols for use with other groups beyond veterans with PTSD. For example, children and adolescents, and also others. With support from Ambassador [Earle] Mack, this fall we will be carrying out a pilot study with anxious youths.”

Fisher added that research work on the original protocols will be expanded by undertaking a randomized, controlled trial later this year.

“This would be a larger study, and we plan on partnering with other sites that we will train to make it work,” Fisher said.

Neria added that “a critically important part of our mission is to expand the number of retired Thoroughbred racehorses that are used in the EAT programs.”

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Jockey Club Round Table: HISA ‘Best Ever Opportunity To Right Our Badly Listing Ship’

The 69th Annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing concluded Sunday with emphatic support for the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) by The Jockey Club Chairman Stuart S. Janney III, who presided over the conference and referenced in his closing remarks the arguments made by groups in the racing industry that have stated their opposition to HISA.

“When the history of this is written, it will be clear who the obstructionists were and who opposed this industry's best ever opportunity to right our badly listing ship,” Janney said. “I am proud to stand with those who support HISA, and I look forward to the needed reform it will bring to our industry and to seeing our ship finally sailing a straight course.”

Sunday's event was held virtually and streamed on jockeyclub.com and made available on NYRA's YouTube channel, Racetrack Television Network's respective platforms, and bloodhorse.com.

Janney was preceded by presentations from Charles Scheeler, chair of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority board of directors, and Dr. Tessa Muir, director of Equine Science for the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

Scheeler described the components of the authority's work ahead, which include the establishment of an anti-doping and medication testing program and a safety program; constituency outreach; and utilizing the industry's plethora of data, much of which will be sourced from The Jockey Club's databases. In advance of the implementation of HISA next year, plans call for the authority's board and standing committees to publish proposed rules for public comment before they are submitted to the Federal Trade Commission.

“What I saw when [I looked at HISA] was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make the sport safer for horses and jockeys, to serve the overwhelming majority of horse people who want to win fairly and who want to play by the rules…” Scheeler said.

Muir spoke of USADA's plans to work with the Thoroughbred industry, including leveraging expertise for both human and equine athletes to create best practices.

“Our aspiration is to establish and maintain a uniform and harmonized program that is centered on promoting and safeguarding the health and welfare of horses and protects the rights of all participants to race clean and win fairly,” she said.

Emily Lyman, founder and chief executive officer of Branch & Bramble, a digital marketing agency used by America's Best Racing (ABR), discussed how “social listening” online can be used to gauge public sentiment of horse racing and how highly publicized events can have a positive or negative impact on how the sport is viewed. She talked about how ABR's marketing strategy is influenced by this data and that influencers can be effectively used as brand ambassadors to introduce new audiences to horse racing.

“Maintaining the status quo doesn't protect a brand's long-term health,” Lyman said. “Without growth in impressions and public sentiment, your key audience will eventually die out.”

Will Duff Gordon, the chief executive officer of Total Performance Data (TPD), spoke in a presentation with Will Bradley, director and founder of Gmax Technology Ltd., on how TPD and Gmax have collaborated to create timing systems for horse races and how they are working with Equibase to determine how the tracking data can supplement and enhance the information that Equibase provides. They noted that this information will become more valuable with the expansion of sports betting in the United States.

“We do know from our European experience that sports that have the richest set of data, as well as pictures, as well as odds, capture the most betting turnover and handle,” Gordon said.

Dr. Yuval Neria, professor of Medical Psychology at Columbia University and director of the PTSD Research Center, was joined by Dr. Prudence Fisher, associate professor of Clinical Psychiatric Social Work at Columbia University, to talk about the Man O' War Project, which was founded by Ambassador Earle I. Mack. It is the first university-led research study to examine the effectiveness of equine-assisted therapy (EAT) in treating veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Neria described the findings as “extremely encouraging,” noting measurable changes in the parts of the brain involved in the capacity to seek and experience pleasure among trial participants. There were also decreases in symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Moving forward, plans call for the creation of the Man O' War Center, with goals to train others in EAT protocol for veterans, adopt the protocol for other groups, pursue a larger research study, and expand the use of former racehorses for equine-assisted therapy work.

“We are proud to partner with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance to connect groups trained in the Man O' War protocol with accredited aftercare facilities,” said Fisher. “It's a great way to incorporate more retired Thoroughbreds in EAT programs throughout the country.”

Kristin Werner, senior counsel for The Jockey Club and administrator of The Jockey Club's Thoroughbred Incentive Program, moderated an aftercare panel with panelists Erin Crady, executive director, Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA); Brian Sanfratello, executive secretary, Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association (PHBA); Beverly Strauss, executive director, MidAtlantic Horse Rescue; and Dr. Emily Weiss, vice president, Equine Welfare, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

Each panelist shared their perspectives on challenges in the aftercare landscape, from securing a safe first exit from the racetrack to placing retired breeding stock. Crady talked about the TCA's Horses First Fund, which helps Thoroughbreds in case of an emergency.

“Plan, plan, and plan some more,” Crady said. If you've prepared a business plan for your racing operation, include a section on aftercare.

“Please remember one thing that I feel is paramount to your horse's future. Make every effort to retire your horse while he or she is still sound. A sound Thoroughbred can have an unlimited future.”

Strauss talked about the kill buyer market and the frequent social media frenzies when Thoroughbreds are offered for inflated prices to save them from being sold to slaughter. She warned that individuals and organizations that participate in these practices are often scams.

“If you're contacted because one of your former horses is in a kill pen, do some research, don't just throw money at it, don't just send money blindly, do research and see that the horse truly is in a bad place and then ensure its safety,” Strauss said.

Sanfratello detailed the PHBA's stance on aftercare and its creation of a code of ethics that will sanction those who knowingly send horses registered with the PHBA to slaughter.

“Our board understands that aftercare is just as important as making sure that we increase the numbers of mares bred,” Sanfratello said.

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Weiss focused on the work of the ASPCA's Right Horse Initiative, which assists with placing horses in transition. She noted that a problem seen with placing horses is that Thoroughbreds are often not located where the demand for them exists.

“There's some disconnect between the interest in the general public and getting these horses into their hands, and part of that is just getting those horses where those people are,” she said.

David O'Rourke, the president and chief executive officer of the New York Racing Association (NYRA), provided an update on that organization's efforts to promote safety, integrity, and the sport of racing. According to O'Rourke, NYRA has allotted 50% of its capital budget since 2013 to infrastructure improvements such as new track surfaces, barns, and dormitories. He also addressed the legalization of sports betting and NYRA's belief that this represents a critical opportunity for horse racing to expand its wagering options and boost handle

James L. Gagliano, president and chief operating officer of The Jockey Club, delivered a report on the activities of The Jockey Club.

Also in his closing remarks, Janney announced that Len Coleman and Dr. Nancy Cox, co-chairs of the nominating committee of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, have been awarded The Jockey Club Medal for exceptional contributions to the Thoroughbred industry.

A video replay of the conference will be available on jockeyclub.com this afternoon, and full transcripts will be available on the same site this week.

The Jockey Club Round Table Conference was first held on July 1, 1953, in The Jockey Club office in New York City. The following year, it was moved to Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing, is the breed registry for North American Thoroughbreds. In fulfillment of its mission, The Jockey Club, directly or through subsidiaries, provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives, and it serves the information and technology needs of owners, breeders, media, fans, and farms. It founded America's Best Racing (americasbestracing.net), the broad-based fan development initiative for Thoroughbred racing, and in partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, operates OwnerView (ownerview.com), the ownership resource. Additional information is available at jockeyclub.com.

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